Bicycle sharing launched in S.A.

Glenn Jensen (from left), Vicki Roberson, Vicki Smith and Bonnie Barstow look at the extra lock on their rental bikes as they prepare to ride downtown.

Photo By LISA KRANTZ/lkrantz@express-news.net

Jenny Willhite (from left), Dewey Maneewat, Blake Sammons and Tom McKenzie get ready to ride B-cycles from the San Antonio B-cycle HUB to the B-cycle stations around downtown San Antonio on Saturday.

Photo By LISA KRANTZ/lkrantz@express-news.net

Claudia Zarazua and Ruben Mancha ride B-cycles from the San Antonio B-cycle HUB to the B-cycle station at La Villita in San Antonio on Saturday.

Photo By LISA KRANTZ/lkrantz@express-news.net

Steve Kluck (from left), Melissa Perez and Adam Biechlin ride B-cycles from the San Antonio B-cycle HUB to the B-cycle stations around downtown San Antonio on Saturday.

Photo By LISA KRANTZ/lkrantz@express-news.net

Bonnie Barstow waits for her group to ride from the B-cycle hub to the docking station at the Blue Star.

Photo By LISA KRANTZ/lkrantz@express-news.net

Ron Waldbillig rides a B-cycle from the San Antonio B-cycle HUB to a B-cycle station in downtown San Antonio on Saturday.

Greg Vallejo doesn't own a bicycle, and hasn't regularly ridden one since he was young.

But early Saturday morning, Vallejo, 32, made good on a pledge to get active, helping dozens of volunteers distribute bicycles for the city's new bike-share program — San Antonio B-cycle — that launched this weekend.

It was a new, refreshing experience with a completely new community. While most of the other riders donned bicycle helmets, he wore a Longhorns cap.

But the program is designed to accommodate riders of all skill sets, whatever their experience.

For B-cycle organizers, Saturday's rollout was both about reaching out to new cyclists such as Vallejo, and marking a milestone in the history of cycling in San Antonio.

“I think it will encourage faster infrastructure for bike lanes and all the things we need because suddenly it's there, visitors will use it, and we need to make sure we can get around,” said Cindi Snell, executive director of San Antonio B-cycle and co-owner of Bike World, the local bike shop that won the contract from the city to run the new program.

This is also the first such bicycle-sharing program in Texas, a fact not lost on anyone Saturday.

“Yee haw,” Snell said. “We don't ever do anything first. I'm just so excited that we have it before Austin.”

Bike World will maintain the bicycles and run the daily operations. The organization has hired a full-time operations manager who will monitor bike maintenance and ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the city, Snell said.

On Saturday, volunteers met at the B-cycle hub in HemisFair Park and then rode the bicycles in groups to each station.

As each new group of riders left for the stations — Ellis Alley, Milam Park — volunteers let out cheers and applause.

Volunteer and cyclist Vicki Roberson, 68, normally rides her bicycle far outside the city limits, where she feels safer and bikes have a better share of the road. This program will help bring cyclists back into downtown.

“I just think it will help people be more aware and more bike-friendly,” Roberson said.

Bicycles, 140 total, will be distributed among 14 docking stations in or near downtown; all but one, at the UTSA Downtown Campus, are now open.

Users can rent the bicycles free for the first half-hour and $2 for each half-hour after that, or pay $10 and keep them 24 hours.

A seven-day membership is available for $24, and an annual pass costs $60 for adults and $48 for seniors or students.

The bikes include easily adjustable seats and lights in the front and back that turn on as the rider pedals. The cables are all internal, so users can wear dresses or even high heels, and not worry that they'll snag or get caught, Snell said.

Once finished, riders can return the bikes to the docking stations.

The bikes are intended to be used for short trips, like zipping from the Pearl Brewery to Alamo Plaza, or the Blue Star Art Gallery to HemisFair Park.

“You want to be green. You want to help out. You want to stay healthy,” said Bike World service manager Fernando Guajardo, 38, after he helped set up a new batch of bikes. “This is one way to do all of those.”